An old organ becomes beautiful crosses
As part of the fundraiser for a new organ at St. Paul, Nanaimo, talented parishioners John Collishaw-Baker and Doug Slowski turned the wood of the old organ, Cassie, who served the church for over 80 years, into crosses, wooden pens and sofa tables. If you would like to purchase one of these items contact Lynda Avis at [email protected] or 778-269-2089.
Baby bundles for new mums
When our outreach committee lead at St. Philip by-the-Sea in Lantzville learned of the Altrusa of Nanaimo project “Baby Bundles,” it caught her attention, and the attention of the rest of the committee when she introduced it. So, for Mother’s Day it was suggested that the parishioners contribute either baby wear or funds to support the project.
What are “baby bundles?” Of the approximately 1,200 deliveries in Nanaimo Regional General Hospital last year, 25% were to mums in financial or social need. High risk deliveries from the mid to north island are also referred to NRGH. The gender-neutral bundles consist of diapers, baby wipes, wash cloths, two onesies, a sleeper and handmade items, including a receiving blanket, burp cloths and breast pads. There are often knitted hats, and always a sensory toy and a board book. As you can imagine these bundles are well received when given to the new mums by the nurses.
The parishioners at St. Philip’s donated over $500 and many baby items in thanksgiving for all mothers on Mother’s Day 2026 and the outreach committee is planning to add “Baby Bundles” to the annual local component of our outreach.
By Maureen Lawrence
St. Luke’s Receives a Canada Summer Jobs grant
St. Luke’s was fortunate to receive a Canada Summer Jobs grant this year. We were able to hire Shannon Stewart to work for us through this grant. Shannon worked for us last summer and since then she has completed the first year of a dual master’s in library and archival studies at UBC.
Having recently completed courses in records management, Shannon put her studies into practice by creating for us: a records management plan to guide St. Luke’s staff and volunteers on what should happen with the various information records they currently hold; a records organization policy to describe where to store different records, who has access, and how to name files; an archival acquisition policy to list the types of records that should be kept permanently in St. Luke’s archives or the diocesan archives; a retention/disposition policy to describe how long to keep records and how to properly dispose of them; and a record management manual, as a guide for future archive summer students, wardens, rectors, parish administrators and others dealing with St. Luke’s records.
Shannon also reorganized St. Luke’s SharePoint to be compliant with the new system so that it is easy for people to find information. St. Luke’s was blessed to have Shannon complete this work for us this summer.
By Barb Prescott
Extreme weather shelter to go ahead at St. Andrew, Sidney
On June 22, 2026, with parish council’s unanimous approval, St Andrew, Sidney made an application for a Temporary Use Permit from the Town of Sidney to use our church hall as an emergency weather response shelter. After the Town of Sidney initiated a request for public engagement to inform the residents and gather their input, a public hearing and vote was held on July 13, 2026. A town council vote of 6-1 granted St Andrew’s the Temporary Use Permit. Much advocacy, support, time and effort went into this vote, and St Andrew’s is moving forward with the next steps to make this necessary service a reality. We look forward to fostering a welcoming, positive and safe environment for all our neighbours — especially those navigating housing challenges.
By Melissa Taft Nagy
1883 church to be restored to heritage standards
The parishioners of St. Michael and All Angels, Royal Oak have been waiting excitedly as we watch the transformation and restoration, week by week, of our beautiful heritage church. Established in1883 on a 1-acre plot purchased for $100, the church was situated alongside a dirt wagon trail cut through the forests between farms, on what is now a very busy West Saanich Rd. Our historical records show that the entire project, land and structure, down to the last coat of paint, was completed for a whopping sum of $2,365.17.
Though times have changed the generosity of our parish families has not — many are 4th and 5th generation descendants of the original founding families of St. Michaels. With their generosity, and grants from the Anglican Foundation and the Saanich Heritage Foundation, we have managed to raise the money needed to restore St. Michaels to heritage standards. Due to supply chain slowdowns and specialty milling needed to match the original siding, it is taking a bit longer than we’d planned, but to quote Galatians 6:9: “In due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
By Sara Baker
St. Michaels to open Western Canada’s only Quiet Garden
After a long planning stage and through the inspiration and organization of long-time parishioner and parish council member Lanny Hubbard, we are excited to announce that St. Michaels is now a part of the global Quiet Garden Movement.
The Quiet Garden Movement is a global network of outdoor spaces set aside for reflection, prayer and stillness, open to people of all faiths or none. St. Michael’s has the first and only Quiet Garden in Western Canada, and only one of four in all of Canada.
The Quiet Garden Movement was founded in 1992 by Anglican priest Philip Roderick, inspired by Jesus’s example of withdrawing to quiet natural places for prayer (Mark 6:31) and his own experiences visiting Christian communities in India and America. The movement encourages the creation of gardens and outdoor spaces where individuals can pause, reflect, pray or simply rest, fostering spiritual, mental and physical well-being. We are still in the very early planning stages, but we will make an announcement when we are ready to invite people to enjoy our beautiful grounds, including a labyrinth, for contemplative time in nature.
By Sara Baker
